Reel segment guiding arrangement



Jan. 24, 1961 J. w. MARTT REEL SEGMENT GUIDING ARRANGEMENT" Filed Jan.2a, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mm an mv um .3 mm Wm \a\ 2% mm E wv uh m u 8mw Q .H. i111? M. m 7 n H a w N 9 Q N 8 on Q M. N N L W Q\ PS a N II HIIINVENTOR JUDSON W MARTT ATTORNEY Jan; 24, 1961- J. w. MARTT 2,969,202

' REEL; SEWENIYGUIDING ARRANGEMENT Fild Jan. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR JUDSON W MARTT BY W W ATTORNEY Unite States PatentO 2,969,202REEL SEGMENT GUIDIN G ARRANGEMENT Judson W. Martt, Weirton, W. Va., assinor to National The present invention relates to reels for reeling andunreeling strip onto and from a coil, and more particularly to suchreels of the segmented expansible drum type having improved reel segmentguiding arrangements.

In the past, coil reels have been developed for use with heavy coils ofmetal strip, comprising generally cylindrical drums onto which a coilmay be slid from one end for reeling or unreeling. The drums aresupported at one end for rotation about a horizontal axis 'and the freeend of the drums extends outward in cantilever relationship.

The surface of these drums is defined by a plurality of parallel reelsegments each extending lengthwise along the drum and each having anouter surface which is a portion of a cylinder. Provision is made forexpanding the drum by moving the segments outward radially of the drumin unison and for partially collapsing the drum by moving the segmentsinward radially of the drum in unison. The coil is placed on and removedfrom the drum when the drum is partially collapsed and is held firmly onthe drum against relative rotation for reeling or unreeling when thedrum is expanded. A typical such device is disclosed in United StatesPatent No. 2,755,031, Robert G. Russell, July 16, 1956.

The coils of strip metal handled by reels of this type are often largeand heavy. They may, for example, have an axial extent of four feet anda diameter of seven feet and weigh perhaps thirty tons. Naturally, thereels are power driven and quite massive. For example, the cylindricalportion of the drum will be longer than the axial extent of the coil andmay have a diameter of 16" or so.

Despite the rugged construction of the reels, it is inevitable that theybend a certain amount when massive work loads are carried by thecantilevered portion. If the drums were of one-piece construction, suchbending would be unobjectionable within the limits encountered inpractice. But as was pointed out above, the drums are in fact comprisedof a plurality of relatively movable parts and these tend to fractureand come loose from each other and from the remainder of the reelstructure upon bending. This difficulty cannot be overcome by making thedrums of larger diameter and hence more rigid, since the inside diameterof the coils of metal strip limits the outsidediameter of the drums.

Although many attempts have been made to overcome the foregoing andother difficulties and disadvantages, none, as far as is known, wasentirely successful when practiced commercially on an industrial scale.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide adevice of the type described adapted to bear loads considerably greaterthan had heretofore been possible.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device ofthe type described in which the relatively movable parts will notfracture or come loose from each other even under heavy loads.

The present invention also contemplates in devices of the type describedstructure which will accommodate com ice tinuously shifting loadswithout damage to the structure of'the device.

A further object of the present invention is the provision, in devicesof the type described, of structure which though no heavier nor morerigid than that known heretofore will nevertheless have greatlyincreased resistance to damage from bending.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide coiling anduncoiling reels of the type described having improved reel segmentguiding arrangements, which will be relatively simple and inexpensive tomanufacture, easy to operate, maintain and repair, and rugged anddurable in use.

Briefly, the present invention achieves these objects and overcomes theditficulties of the prior art by providing in an expansible rotatabledrum of the type described a combination slidable and universalconnection between an end of each drum segment and the remainder of thereel.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a consideration of the following description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the drum end of reel structureaccording to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the structure of Figure 1,taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion ofFigure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional View of anotherportion of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is shown a reelaccording to the present invention indicated generally at 10. Forpurposes of illustration, reel 10 is an uncoiling reel and comprises arotatable drum 12 made up of a plurality of radially movable reelsegments 14 which extend lengthwise parallel to the axis of the drum.The outer surfaces of segments 14 together define a cylindrical outercontour of drum 12, the outer surface of each segment 14 being part of acylinder.

Drum 12 is supported for rotation about a horizontal axis by a coaxialrotatable member 18. Member 18 includes an axially extending outersleeve 20 by which the reel is mounted for rotation in bearings (notshown), so that the end of the reel to the left of Figures 1 and 2 isthe supported end, the drum end being disposed in cantileverrelationship. Member 18 also includes an outer annular ring 22 adjacentthe supported end of the drum and secured to the outer or drum end ofsleeve 20 by means of dowels 24.

Broadly, segments 14 are provided at their inner ends with ears 26extending inwardly away from the drum for securement of the segments atthe supported end of the drum and are recessed at their other ends as at28 for the reception of inwardly extending ears 30 formed on an annularcollar 32.

Segments 14 are provided on their inner surfaces with a plurality ofarcuate inclined steps 34 which, in the assembly of segments 14, form aplurality of coaxial annular inclined steps. A plurality ofcomplementary annular inclined steps 36 is formed on an inner shaft 38which is reciprocable within the outer portions of the drum and theouter end of which has sliding fit within collar 32.

Power means (not shown) are provided for rotating the reel and means(not shown) are also provided for reciprocating shaft 38 relative to therest of the reel in a known manner so as to expand or contract segments14 by the interaction of inclined steps 34 and 36 in the usual way. Asis also usual, segments 14 are provided with interdigitating projections40 so as to maintain them parallel to each other in all expanded orc'ontracte positions.

Referring now more particularly to the connectingstructure"in"the'region of recesses'28and cars 30 "on collar 32, as bestseen in Figure 3, a spring assembly 42 is provided which comprises a cup44 which is secured in the radially outer end of a hole 46 extendingradially through each ear 30 but which terminates a substantial distanceshort of the radially inner end of hole 46'. At the bottom of eachrecess .28, a cup 48'is secured in-a cylindrical recess 50 coaxial withhole. 46. Cup 43"extends radially outward of the bottom of recess 28'andis slidably disposed in the radially inner end of hole 46 and terminatesa small distance shortof the inner end of cup 44 when ear 30 contactsthebottom of recess 28. Cups Hand 48 open toward each other andsubstantially enclose a coil compression spring 52 coaxial with thecups, which continuously urges the outer end of the associated segment14 radially inward towardand, into yieldable contact with shaft 38. Inall'positions of expansion or contraction of segments 14, a portion ofcup,48 is disposed within hole-46, so that in addition to urging thesegments inward spring assembly 42" positively interconnects segments 14and collar 32.

The corresponding segment connections at the inner or supported end ofthe drum form a very important part of the present invention. As seenbroadly in Figures 1 and 2, the drum end of sleeve 29 is provided with aplurality of recesses 54 which extend all the way through the sleeve andare covered on their outer sides by ring 22. It is at this end of thedrum that the bending stresses imposed by the load of a coil tend tohave their most harmful effect and tend to tear segments 14 loose fromrotatable member 18. Accordingly, ears 26 andthe marginal edges ofrecesses 54 have clearance therebetween on all sides, and a specialinterconnecting means 56 is provided between each segment 14 androtatable member 18.

As best seen in Figure 4, means 56 is comprised of an internallyscrew-threaded hole 58 extending radially entirely through ring 22, inwhich is detachably mounted an inwardly opening cup 60. Cup 6tlhas anexternally screw-threaded base 62 by which it is removably secured inhole 58 and a radially inner portion comprising a cylindrical neck 64 ofreduced outside diameter as compared with base 62.

Opening radially outward is a cylindrical recess 66 in each ear 26 ofsegments 14, and 'disposedhin recess 66 is an outwardly opening cup 68secured in the bottom of the recess. A coil compression spring 70 isdisposed within and acts between cups 60 and 68 continuously to urge theinner end of each segment 14 radially inwardly.

Disposed about and secured to reduced neck 64 is an annular bearingsleeve 72 which has the outer contour of a double-truncated sphere.Sleeve 72 is slidable and universally rotatable within the radiallyextending guideway provided by recess 66 and is in. contact with theside Walls of recess 66 even when its associated segment 14 is in itsinnermost collapsed position. Atthe opposite extreme, when segment 14 isin its outermost expanded position, cars 26 and ring 22 are in contactwith each other but the radially inner ends of cup 60 andsleeve 72 arespaced a small distance from cup 68.

The centroid of sleeve-72 lies on theaxisof spring 70, and in theirnormal position-allof parts 60, 68; 70 and 72 and hole 58 and recess '66are coaxial'.

It will be noted that the reel segments are anchored to the remainder ofthe reel structure only at their inner ends.

The operation of the novel device accordingto "the:

present invention is as follows? From the position shown in Figure2,qshaft 38" is retracted a short distance to the left as seenin;Fig'ure '2, and thereupon springs 52 and 74) press tsegmentsql4'intopartially collapsed relationship. A .coil of 'strip'metal is, then slidonto drum12 from the rightas seen:in'Figures 1 and 2. The movement ofshaft 38 is then reversed so .175

4. that segments 14 are forced radially outward to grip and hold thecoil securely on drum 12."

Assuming the coil to be of great weight, the drum and reel will deflectdownward to the right as seen in Figure l or Figure 2, but this downwarddeflection will not impose undue strain on the members interconnectingthe various relatively movable parts. At the free end of the drum therewill be very little relative movement of segments 14 and collar 32, andat the supported end of.the drum, where there will besubstantiallygreater relative movement of segments 14 and rotatablemember 18, the interconnecting means 56 will accommodate this movement.Moreover, the .clearance of recess 54 will permit a substantial degreeof relative movement between member 18 and segments 14 in any direction.Sleeve 72 will revolve in recess 66 to permit universal movement of ears26 relative to member 18 and will also slide radially in recess 66 toaccommodate this relative movement. Thus, sleeve 72 and the side wallsof recess 66 togetherrprovide a ball and guideway universal connectionbetween rotatable member 18 and end of each segmentl4 adjacent an end ofdrum 12.

At the end of the unreeling. operation, shaft 38 is again moved to theleft as seen in Figure 2 to release any remaining portion of the coilfor removal and to prepare for the next coil.

From a consideration of the foregoing, it will be obvious that all ofthe initially recited objects of the present invention have beenachieved.

Al-tnough the present invention has been described in connec ion withreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications andvariations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit in theinvention as those skilled in this art will readily understand. Suchmodifications and variations are considered to be within the purview andscope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. in an expansible rotatable drum for handling coiled strip material,including a plurality of segments having surfaces which together definea substantially cylindrical outercontour of the drum, the segments beingdisposed generally parallel to the axis of the drum, a member rotatablecoaxially with the drum but fixed against movement axially of the drum,and means for selectively moving the segments relative to the rotatablemember radially'away from the axis of the drum to engageand hold a coilof strip material on the drum from within the coil; the improvementcomprising elements interconnecting the ro-tatablernember and an end ofeach segment adjacent anend of. the drum, the outer contour of each saidele-' mentbeing convex and coincident with a substantial portion of thesurface of a sphere, one of the rotatable members and an end of eachsegment adjacent an end of the drum having recesses therein extendingradially of 'the axis'of the drum, the sidewalls of each said recessenclosing the centroid of a said element and being of uniformcross-sectional configurationin a plurality ofspaced planes parallel toeach other and to the axis of the drum,

and the other of the rotatable member and the end of eachsegmentadjacent an endof the drumhaving said.

ing the'segments relative to the rotatable member radially; away fromthe axis of the drum to engage and-hold-a coil of strip :material.ontheidrum fromwithin the coil;' ihC' lIllPIQVfiIfifiIli comprisingelements interconnecting the rotatable member and an end of each segmentadjacent an end of the drum, the outer contour of each said elementbeing convex and coincident with a substantial portion of the surface ofa sphere, one of the rotatable members and an end of each segmentadjacent an end of the drum having cylindrical recesses therein of whichthe axes are disposed radially of the axis of the drum, said elementsbeing mounted on the other of the rotatable member and an end of eachsegment adjacent an end of the drum and being disposed one in each ofthe cylindrical recesses in bearing contact with the cylindricalsidewalls of the recesses for sliding movement axially of the recessesand for universal rotation within the recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS992,957 Gridley May 23, 1911 2,431,476 Hall Nov. 25, 1947 2,755,031Russell July 17, 1956

